The list of those who applied to fill a vacant seat on the TUSD
Governing Board includes a former board member, a former congressional
candidate, and two failed board candidates, among 50 other political
activists.

Among those applying to replace longtime Tucson Unified School District Governing Board member Judy Burns are:

Mary Judge Ryan, a former TUSD teacher and Democratic
congressional candidate, along with having been a chief deputy to Pima
County Attorney Barbara LaWall.

Miguel Ortega, who touts his status as the runner-up in the last
TUSD board election. He's a staunch supporter of the district's
embattled Mexican-American Studies program.

Armand Salese, who also lost a race for a seat on the board.

Bruce Burke, a former TUSD board clerk who didn't seek reelection in 2010.

The full list of those who applied before Friday's deadline:

Raymond Adkins, Jr.

Menelik Bakari

Frieda Baker

David Bartlett

Stephen Brelser

Bruce Burke

Donna Calvert

Kathleen Marie Campbell

Debe Campos-Fleenor

Jacqueline Croteau

James Culbertson

Ruth Davis

Anthony Michael De Gennaro

Curtis Dutiel, Jr.

Michael LeRoy Ebert

Ralph Ellinwood

William Estes III

Therese Flores

Kristel Foster

Gary Fowler

Marilyn Freed

Ezekiel A. Gebrekidane

Bob Gilby

Michael Gordy

Dale Keyes

Gary Kordosky

Vincent Luongo

Kimberly McNally

Jacqueline McNulty

Robert Medler

Laurie Meier

Leticia Menchaca

Ronald Michaels

Sansa Morse

Lynette Olsen

Miguel Ortega

Kristina Pallack

Ray Paulus

Jennifer Peebles

Vicky Puchi-Saavedra

Elizabeth Putnam-Hidalgo

David Scott Ricker

Rebecca Rico Montaño

Lori Riegel

Mary Judge Ryan

Armand Salese

Ross Sheard

Cornelia Skelley

Scott Stewart

Alexandre B. Sugiyama

Christopher Thomas

Anne Weeks Shiff

Michael Wilson

Martin A. Woolf

Linda Arzoumanian, Pima County school superintendent, told the district last week
that she will call a special election for May 17 if TUSD doesn't name a
fifth member of the committee charged with picking someone to replace Burns, who died last month.

Arzoumanian can either fill the vacant Governing Board seat by appointment, or call an election.

She had determined to appoint a new Governing Board member, to speed
the process and save TUSD the $250,000 cost of a special election.
Arzoumanian asked the district to name a 5-member panel to review
applicants for the spot and make a recommendation.

I am disappointed that the TUSD Governing Board is unable to comply with my request," Arzoumanian said in her letter. "As
you are well aware, the option of conducting a special election will come at a significant cost to the taxpayers of TUSD."

Without a replacement for Burns, the Governing Board is likely to continue to split 2-2, as it did last week.

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While board members agreed on a parent, teacher, community member and
business leader to appoint to the panel, they repeatedly split on a
fifth member.

Those picked for the advisory panel:

Parent: Tola Barker, recommended by Miguel Cuevas.

Teacher: Michele Harbour, recommended by Mark Stegeman.

Community member: Steve Holmes, recommended by Adelita Grijalva.

Business leader: Charles Weisel, recommended by Michael Hicks.

When they couldn't agree on the 5th member board members forwarded Arzoumanian a list of names, asking her to pick one:

Roxanne Begay-James, recommended by Grijalva.

Juan Ciscomani, recommended by Stegeman.

Colleen Niccum, recommended by Cuevas.

Johnny Renfro, recommended by Hicks.

"Leaving the decision to this office is not an option," Arzoumanian said.

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